Dezi Freeman Manhunt: Elite Police Units Scale Back Search for Notorious Fugitive Who Allegedly Gunned Down Two Cops
- Hundreds of elite police units have been searching for Dezi Freeman for five weeks after he allegedly killed two police officers in a rural property shootout.
- The 56-year-old fugitive has been on the run, evading capture in dense bushland in the Victorian high country.
- Victoria Police Commissioner Mike Bush has vowed to catch Freeman, saying “we will not give up until we find that person”.
- A $1 million reward has been offered for information leading to Freeman’s capture, the largest financial offer in the state’s history.
Five weeks after the devastating shooting that left two police officers dead, the manhunt for Dezi Freeman has been scaled back. The 56-year-old fugitive has been on the run since allegedly gunning down Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart at his rural property in Porepunkah.
Despite the scaling back of the search, Victoria Police Commissioner Mike Bush has reassured the public that authorities are determined to catch Freeman. “We will not give up until we find that person,” he told reporters on Monday. “This has really damaged our police service and the community, and we are determined to bring this matter to a conclusion.”
The search for Freeman has been one of the largest and most complex in Australian history, with over 200 police units and specialist teams from interstate and abroad involved. The Australian Defence Force has also joined the operation, providing air surveillance assets and a planning specialist to assist personnel on the ground.
However, as time goes on, the search is becoming increasingly challenging. Commissioner Bush conceded that the force is rotating officers conducting the search and providing reassurance to the local community. “We’ve had 1400 pieces of information from the public, and daily offers of resource support from commissioners around Australia and New Zealand,” he said.
The local community is still reeling from the aftermath of the shootings, with a memorial service held in Wangaratta on Monday. The names of the two fallen officers have been added to the Police Memorial on St Kilda Road in Melbourne, alongside 175 other fallen soldiers.
Local businesses have been severely impacted by the manhunt, with many missing out on a bumper snow season due to travel restrictions. However, the restrictions have been reduced for Porepunkah and nearby towns, and businesses that lost money during the search have been eligible for $5000 grants.
Commissioner Bush has urged anyone with information about Freeman’s whereabouts to come forward. A $1 million reward has been offered for information leading to his capture, the largest financial offer in the state’s history. “We need the public’s help to bring this matter to a conclusion,” he said.